LaxPower Back-Up Stick

I just don't see how you get much more of a crowd beyond parents, student sections, and hopefully some college coaches when you schedule it at that time place. Such a big game deserves a bigger atmosphere.

Henry Hasselbeck (Mid - Xaverian) has committed to play lacrosse at Maryland. Pretty big news as the last I had heard was he was still looking at D1 football. Hasselbeck didn't score a lot for Belmont Hill last year, but he was on the field a ton including the top shortstick on the wing for face-offs and for his two-way play. He'll be a huge addition to Xaverian lacrosse and should be a force in the MIAA this spring. The Hawks have a great junior class with commits to Maryland, UVM, Bryant, Stony Brook, and LIU so far. They should be contenders the next two years.

Tillman is going to love his versatility...I could see him take on the roll that Bubba Fairman did last year....Best teams have elite ssdmids that can play O and transition...They never get the credit they deserve...

SJP has Brunswick on the schedule, April 15th.

If Norwell's FO stays healthy just write them in as public school state champs. I never never seen a kid on the high school level dominate the way he does and he is now a senior. He has been destroying everyone and giving his team possession 80% as a sophomore and junior and this was with some local competition who was D1 talent. I wouldn't be surprised to see him go 90% this year.

Anybody know the breakdowns of the Divisions this year? I have to imagine the Catholics are favored in D1 again.

https://miaa.net/wp-content/uploads/202 ... e-Boys.pdf

SJP, Xaverian and BC High will likely battle for d1 this year.

Dont forget AB and Franklin in D1 to challenge SJP and BCH...D2 will be Longmeadow, Billerica and Reading...D3 Norwell again...D4 not sure...

Not an official game but Reading apparently got the best of SJP 12-11 in a scrimmage yesterday. Can't be sure it means that much, but a good confidence boost for Reading who always seem to have a lot of passion and pride as a program.

A couple of good early season MIAA matchups.

Hingham 10 - Needham 7. A fairly close one between two of the stronger D1 publics.

St. John's Prep 15 - Xaverian 7. This was a bit of a sizzle (Xaverian's six junior commits) vs. the steak (SJP's consecutive state titles) game, with the steak dominating. In high school lacrosse when you reach a high level of proficiency and athleticism in the match up, teams with strong systems will tend to dominate teams with strong players. SJP's offense was simply more sophisticated, creative, and poised in its execution and overall they were sharper doing the little things. They play again in four weeks. We'll see if X can close the gap at all.

Completely agree. I was at the game. X had some of the best players on the field but they played club lacrosse style and couldn’t handle the well executed team offense of SJP.

I also looked at the X schedule. They have some, out of conference, cupcakes that they scheduled…… Nauset?, Falmouth?, Bishop Hend.? Even Norwell and Medfield are D3 teams….. strong D3 but still 1/3 the size of X.

Why not Bishop Guertin, La Salle (RI), Reading, Hingham, Dux, Long Meadow, Pinkerton, Fairfield Prep (CT), etc….

If you are loaded with talent, why not actually test the iron?

MA Lax Fan wrote: ↑Wed Apr 05, 2023 8:34 am I also looked at the X schedule. They have some, out of conference, cupcakes that they scheduled…… Nauset?, Falmouth?, Bishop Hend.? Even Norwell and Medfield are D3 teams….. strong D3 but still 1/3 the size of X.

Why not Bishop Guertin, La Salle (RI), Reading, Hingham, Dux, Long Meadow, Pinkerton, Fairfield Prep (CT), etc….

If you are loaded with talent, why not actually test the iron?

They could also opt for even shorter travel and play Nobles, Thayer, or Seb's - there are plenty of options. Perhaps since X knows they'll really lean on their 8-9 man core, they want some games where they won’t be tempted to do that and can get players 10-20 substantial time and seasoning in prep for late May & June.

Honestly, getting a bucket of cold water tossed on them just a few days after being on the cover of a magazine is the best thing that could have happened to X. It's a reminder they have a long way to go, and the step from pretty good to elite is the hardest to take.

makes sense

Good to have some chatter going on here about MIAA (the other) lacrosse! How about Cohasset taking down Norwell ??? Does anyone have any inside scoop there? Pretty good upset for week 1

Couple of big ones today as BC High hosts St. John's Prep and LS hosts Duxbury. Roughly 90% of the D1 state titles from this century are represented in those two games.

Dux with another OT win on the road. LS fans seemed to think the game was over at 1/2 but Dux had other plans.

Nice comeback by Dux. Looked like they got down by as much as five goals in the first half.

SJP was in control pretty much from the start with BCH having a bit of a surge in third quarter. Seems like it will take a really strong game from an in-state opponent to take down SJP. https://bostonlax.net/st-johns-prep-15- ... -over-bch/

In D1 SJP gets smacked by Brunswick, wasn't ever close, Franklin with the strong Attack and FO spots beat a good AB teams... D2 has a rematch of last year's final Billerica vs Longmeadow on Monday night and speaking of Western Mass Chaug is back and udefeated at 4-0...D3 had Norwell taking X to OT but comes up a bit short but good effort and Pentucket may be a tough out as the new boy on the block at 5-0...Div 4 has Nauset and Sandwich maybe Hull as contenders

https://www.bostonherald.com/2023/04/22 ... gh-choice/

Nice article on Henry Hasselbeck in the Herald. The transfer reasoning seems at least partly revisionist, he wasn't necessarily on track to ever be QB1 at Belmont Hill, but glad to see him thriving in both sports and adding to a potentially special 2024 class at Xaverian.